Government Relations Advisor

Job Description

Title: Government Relations Advisor

Company Name: Friends in Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB)

Vacancy: 1

Age: 30 to 60 years

Job Location: Dhaka (Dhaka Sadar)

Salary: Tk. 250000 (Monthly)

Experience:

• At least 8 years

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• At least 8 years

• Age 30 to 60 years

• At least 20 years working within a position that has resulted in relations with the GoB officials
• Demonstrated experience is relationship building
• Experience as a Civil Servant in the GoB a plus
•  Previous experience with Cox’s Bazar district, and the CHT desired.
•  Previous experience working with or in Government in sectors including Natural Resource Management, Forestry, agriculture, WASH and/or Disaster Management
•  Excellent communication and interpersonal skills in both English and Bangla.
•  Fluency in English

Required Skills :

•  Strong analytical, strategic, relationship and communication skills.
•  Skills in programme implementation planning, tracking and reporting.
•  Excellent skills in representation and stakeholder management
•  Good report writing, and computer proficiency in MS Office.
•  Highly versatile, ability to work well under pressure and to manage a variety of issues at the same time
•  Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.

Competencies:-

•  Leading and inspiring others,
•  Delivering results,
•  Developing self and others,
•   Problem solving and decision making,
•  Innovating and adapting
•  Inclusive
•  Empowering

Cox’s Bazar and the three Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) districts are among the lowest ranked in Bangladesh for education, skills training, food security, poverty and agricultural productivity. The situation has worsened since 2017, with the Rohingya refugee influx, which has put enormous pressure on the local economies, resulting in loss of livelihoods, depressed local wages, increased food insecurity and distorted local market systems. The increased population has also put severe pressure on already limited resources. There is a need for safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. Forests have become degraded negatively affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services. Moreover, these districts are prone to natural disasters including fires, flash floods, landslides, extreme heat and drought. Cox’s Bazar experiences these as well as rising sea levels, salinification of soil and water, and tropical cyclones.In response, USAID’s Host and Impacted Communities Resilience Activity (HICRA) led by Friends In Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB) will take an integrated approach to improve the overall well-being and resilience of people residing in the communities hosting or impacted by the Rohingya refugee crisis. HICRA will achieve this goal through the implementation of livelihoods; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); natural resource management (NRM); and disaster risk reduction (DRR) interventions with an estimated 114,000 households across the four prioritised districts, Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, and Kargarachari.

ROLE

The Advisor, Government Relations will serve as point of contact between HICRA and senior government stakeholders to share information about the project and to secure government buy-in to implement activities in the district, upazila and union levels. The candidate will work closely with the COP and Executive Director of FIVDB to coordinate and prioirtize meetings. S/he will lead and manage relationships with the Non-Governmental Affairs Bureau to ensure HICRA complies with the regulations, Ministry of Home Affairs when supporting foreigner-staff/consultant travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and relations with the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Ministry of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change, Ministry and key departments such as the Forest Department Chief Conservator of Forests, Department of Agriculture Extension, Department of Livestock Services, Department of Disaster Management, Department of Public Health and Engineering, Local Government Engineering Department. S/he will assist in the formation of a multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee, develop a plan for meetings and events, provide regular updates to the COP and Team Leaders on the outcomes of the meetings, develop materials, invite GoB officials to HICRA events and follow up on any activity. The candidate will create an enabling environment for collaboration, learning and adaptation, contribute to staff capacity building in working with high-level officials and support localization. This position will also provide the inclusive and well-orchestrated leadership necessary to meet the complex needs of HICRA’s relations with the GoB, in cost efficient ways. S/he will apply strategic and analytical skills to accomplish goals and meet objectives, and demonstrate initiative and willingness to work together in partnership with the consortium and all key stakeholders. The Advisor will ensure activities are completed as per plan, meet USAID requirements, and maintain good relations with all.

Main Areas of Responsibilities.

•  Assist in formation and management of HICRA’s multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee.
• Develop schedule and secure appointments with key government officials with whom HICRA will need to work. 
•  Meet with COP regularly to review past and future meetings and provide advice and advocacy where/when needed
•  Take notes of action items and communicate with the relevant stakeholders
• Work with Communications Specialist to produce materials, presentations or complete forms as necessary
• Provide regular updates on progress against plans
•  Elevate concerns, challenges and issues Required

• Weekly 2 holidays,Mobile bill,Provident fund,Gratuity
• Salary Review: Yearly
• Festival Bonus: 2

As per the project policy of FIVDB and the budgeted provision of this project.